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03/12 18:12 CDT Vikings sign QB Kyler Murray a day after the 2019 first overall
pick was cut by the Cardinals
Vikings sign QB Kyler Murray a day after the 2019 first overall pick was cut by
the Cardinals
By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --- The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray on
Thursday, after focusing their latest search on the first overall pick from the
2019 NFL draft who was just released by the Arizona Cardinals.
Murray visited Vikings headquarters before agreeing to a contract, one day
after he was cut by the Cardinals despite them owing him $36.8 million in
guaranteed salary for this season.
The Vikings didn't have many other options this year for challenging --- or
replacing --- J.J. McCarthy, their 2024 first-round draft pick whose injuries
and inconsistency have raised the question of how long they can afford to wait
for him to develop.
Murray, despite being sidetracked by recent injuries and dogged by questions
about his work ethic, has two Pro Bowl selections, a 67% career completion
percentage --- and a bonus of 3,193 rushing yards with 32 touchdowns.
After winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, Murray was voted the AP NFL
Offensive Rookie of the Year and appeared to have the Cardinals on the upswing.
He produced multiple electrifying highlights such as the "Hail Murray" in 2020,
when he connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a game-winning touchdown pass
against the Buffalo Bills on the game's final play. Murray passed for 400 yards
in a Week 2 win over Minnesota in 2021, when Arizona started 10-2 before
finishing 11-6.
The Cardinals signed Murray to $230.5 million, five-year contract in 2022 with
$160 million guaranteed, but the honeymoon after that hefty commitment was
short. A few weeks after the deal was done, the Cardinals removed a strange
clause in the contract that mandated four hours of "independent study" during
game weeks. The kerfuffle called into question Murray's work habits, and his
relationship with the franchise was never the same.
Murray tore the ACL in his right knee late in the 2022 season, causing him to
miss a big chunk of the 2023 schedule in Jonathan Gannon's first season as
coach. The Gannon-Murray relationship held some promise in 2024 when the
Cardinals improved to 8-9 and were in the playoff hunt until the final few
weeks of the season, but the 2025 season fell apart quickly.
Murray played only five games because of an injury to his right foot that was
initially believed to only need a few weeks for recovery. Veteran backup Jacoby
Brissett performed well in his absence, Murray was eventually placed on injured
reserve, and the Cardinals fired Gannon after tying for the league's worst
record at 3-14. Murray led Arizona to the playoffs just once in seven seasons,
a wild-card round loss in 2021 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles
Rams.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell was the offensive coordinator for that Rams team.
From Kirk Cousins to a handful of injury replacements in 2023 to Sam Darnold in
2024 to McCarthy in 2025, O'Connell has had a carousel of starting quarterbacks
in his four years and might well have a new one in 2026 with Murray.
After missing his rookie season while recovering from knee surgery, McCarthy
had an ankle sprain, a concussion and a broken hand in 2025 that limited him to
10 starts and only eight games finished. Even when he was healthy, his
struggles with accuracy were pronounced enough to force the Vikings to consider
alternatives despite his significant potential.
After winging it with Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer as the backups last year,
O'Connell and the Vikings realized they at least needed more depth if they're
going to run McCarthy back in 2026. McCarthy, for his part, sounded aware that
his hold on the starting job is tenuous, too.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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